Controller attachment for automobiles



Jan. 5, 1932. A. J. WEATHERHEAD JR 1,839,908

CONTROLLER ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 17, 1928 7m //////////////////////IIA attorney Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UN ED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT J. WEATHEREEAD, JR, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO CONTROLLER ATTACHMENT FOB AUTOMOBILES Application filed July 17,

My invention appertains to Controllers,

and more particularly to a controller attach-' .on the instrument board. My aim is to provide a single fitting or attachment for the instrument .board, the construction of which is such that the operator may conveniently adjust and control two separate operating appliances or devices associated with the engine or motor. For example, the invention may be employed to adjust and control the spark retarder and throttle, singly or together as the operator may elect, or the device may be used in the same way in connection with the choke and throttle, or the en- .gine starter and spark retarder. Not only does a single controller fitting or attachment.

of that kind facilitate and simplify adjustmentsand control of different engine appliances, but it also sim lifies and reduces the cost of installation 0 such equipment compared with old practices. 1

Inthe accompanying drawings, Fig, 1 is a sectional view ofa portion of an automobile showing my improved controller installed therein andconnected to the distributor or spark retarding-device and to the engine throttle or carburetor. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, in plan and enlarged, of the controller ,attachedto the-instrument board, and Fig. 3

is a side view of-the device. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention. Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 55 of Fig. v 1 1 The invention isparticularly applicable to an automobile in which an internal combustion engine E is used and wherein an instrument board B is provided in front of the drivers seat, for example, as exemplified in Fig. 1. In tbis'case, the engine is equipped as usual with a carburetor O having a throttle valve adapted tobe opened and closed by a rotatable arm 2. A' second arm 3 is also provided as customarily to operate the choke 1928. Serial 1%. 293,410.

valve. As delineated the engine is also equipped with a manually adjustable distributor or spark timing devlce D, together with an electric starters having a starting switch 8. Attached to the instrument board B, is a. single handle or member A constructed and designed to facilitate the adjustment and control of any two of the enumerated devicesassociated with the engine. To exemplify one working combination, I show no in igs. 2 and 3, acontrol member A which consists of a lmob attached to or forming an integral part of a round flat-sided stem 4. This stem is relatively long and slidably confined within a rotatable sleeve or barrel 5 65 which extends through and has bearin within a flanged support or ring-shape mounting 6 clamping tightly to board B by a nut 7. Mounting 6 may be of any suitable kind or character but as shown it is flanged and formed with a screw-threaded extension of sufiicient length to project through an opening in board B to permit nut 7 to be affixed to it at one side of the board. A projection 8 extends rearwardly from the flanged part of mounting 6, and a round stud 9 projects laterally from projection 8.

A pin or arm 10 is aflixed to or forms a. part of rotatable sleeve 5 adjacent the end edge of projection 8, and a bell crank or lever 30 11 having a slotted arm 12 ispivotally mounted upon stud 9 in operating connection with the pin or arm 10, whereby an oscillatory movement may be imparted to the bell crank or lever 11 by rotating control member A. A sliding reciprocable movement may also -be given to this control member either independently of the rotatable movement, or conj ointly therewith. The limit of the pull movement of control member A outwardly is fixed by a stop shoulder 14 at the inner end of stem 4, and a link, rod or wire 15 is attached by a swivel or ball connection 16 to the inner end of control member A is connected by a rod or link 18 to another point on the engine, and as shown the link 18 connects with an arm or lever 19 attached to a rock shaft 20 having a second arm or lever 21 which is connected by a rod or link 22 with the operating arm 2 for the throttle in carburetor C. Obviously link 22 may be connected to arm 3 which operates the choke valve in the carburetor as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, or in lieu -of connecting link 22 with either the choke or throttle, it may be attached to the electric switch 8 for the engine starter S, as also indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thus it will be seen that the single control member A may be readily connected to two difl'erent operating devices or appliances associated with the engine and having to do with its starting or running operations, thereby permitting either appliance to be operated independently or both appliances jointly. That is, control member A can be either rotated or pulled to operate the two appliances separately, and successively, or the rotative and pull movements can be combined to operate both appliances co-incidently.

. InFig. 4, I show a modified form of controller A, which comprises a handle 24 having an elongated stem 25 rotatably and slidably supported within a flanged thimble or escutcheon member 26 mounted upon instrument board 27 An arm 28 is pinned or other- Wise aflixed to stem 25 a short distance rearwardly of mounting 26, and a link 27 is con nected to the free end of this arm. A second link-or wire 28 is swiveled to the inner end of stem 25, and these two links 27 and 28, respectively, are connected separately to the throttle and distributor of the engine, or to any two devices or appliances assopiated with the engine for controlling the operation thereof.

What I claim, is z 1. A controller attachment for the instrument board of a motor driven vehicle, including a mounting, a reciprocable controller member supported rotatably upon said mounting, shiftable means supported on said mounting and power-transmitting connections-between said controller member, said shiftable means and motor controlling appliances for the vehicle.

2. A controller attachment for the instrument board of a motor driven vehicle, comprising a single fitting, embodying a combined rotatable and reciprocable control member, shiftable means supported by said fitting and a plurality of power-transmitting connections, between said rotatable and re ciprocable control member, said shiftable means and difierent motor controlling appliances for the vehicle.

i 3. A controller attachment for the instrument board of an automobile, comprising a mounting a rotatable control member extending through said mounting, a rotatable push and pull member extending through said rotatable control member and a shiftable member mounted upon said mounting and operatively connected with said rotatable control member.

4. A controller attachment for the instrument board of an automobile, comprising a mounting, a plurality of control members rotatable about a common axis within said mounting, and a shiftable member supported upon said mounting and operatively connected with one. of said rotatable control members, one of said control members being also movable longitudinally of said axis.

5. A controller attachment for the instrument board of an automobile, comprising a mounting, and a rotatable control member reciprocably supported upon said mounting, a lever pivoted to said mounting and coupled with said member, and separate power-transmitting elements associated with said member and lever respectively.

6. A controller attachment for the instrumentboard of an automobile, comprising a mounting, a lever pivotally connected to said mounting, a rotatable member in operating connection with said lever, a reciprocable controlling device extending through said rotatable member, and means connected with said lever and reciprocable device for transmitting the respective movements thereof to' other appliances upon said automobile.

7 A controller attachment for the instrument board of a'motor driven vehicle, comprising a mounting, a rotatable push and pull member extending through said mounting, an oscillatory means supported upon said mounting and a swiveled element extending through said mounting and axially aligned and coupled for actuating said oscillatory means with said push and pull element.

8. A controller attachment for the instrument board of an automobile, comprising a mounting, a plurality of controller members within said mounting, one movablellongitudinally and a second movable rotatably about a common axis within said mounting, a shift- 

